Winning Working Woman in 5

It’s not easy to be a working woman, especially a working wife. If you must leave home to augment the family income, or even if you’re still single and supporting yourself, the name of the game is to do your job in a businesslike fashion and leave your social life for home. The workplace is for work, not for socializing, which leads to wasting time, lower productivity and much worse…

There’s a secret in Judaism: Debauchery destroys income. You see this in the media every day. Some super-talented individuals get caught in scandalous behavior and, despite their super abilities, they destroy their career, income and future with their own indiscretions.

No matter what your career or job is, if you follow the following guidelines that will take you less than five minutes to learn, you’ll be a guaranteed success at work – a winning working woman. The more you follow these guidelines, the more you’ll invoke Divine blessing and assistance in everything you do.

Here goes:

1. Your speech should be courteous and polite, but official and in no way intimate. Never call a man by his first name, and don’t inquire about his life. Substitute “How are you, Sam?” for “How may I assist you, Mr. Stein”. Keep the verbal exchange to the bare minimum that’s required in your work.

2. Every woman likes to make a snazzy appearance in public. But, when you keep your dress and makeup modest, you move up the ladder and become distinguished, which has much more class than simply being snazzy. Men have an instinctive respect for a woman with class–not even a crass idiot would come on to a woman of true royalty, because women of true royalty wouldn’t be caught dead in a short skirt or a low-cut blouse. They wear tailored suits with a high-collared blouse, and a minimum of makeup. Remember, you too are royalty–you are the King’s daughter. Don’t cheapen yourself to attract cheap attention. Even if you work in a butcher shop, you’re not a piece of meat.

3. If your female coworkers dress immodestly or use crass language, find yourself a new job. The bad apples in the crate spoil the good ones. Even a bride in a lily-white gown smells terrible if she walks through a cow shed.

4. Be very careful in your relationship with your boss. Don’t tell him your personal problems and don’t listen to his. This is imperative, since many men take advantage of female employees. The minute your boss makes an eye wink out of line, inform him that you are the female kick-boxing champion of Brooklyn or Jerusalem and your husband is 6’5″, jealous, a black belt in Krav Maga and eats 3-lb. rib-steaks for breakfast. If that doesn’t deter your boss, resign.

5. Put a copy of Guard Your Tongue with a picture of the Chofetz Chaim on your desk. Even somebody with excessive cheekiness is embarrassed to misbehave while looking at a picture of the Chofetz Chaim. Also, instead of taking part in idle chatter, learn two halachas (laws) from the Chofetz Chaim–that’s superb body language to express that you’re not interested in small talk, and certainly not rudeness.

If you’re married, call your husband during your coffee and lunch breaks. It’s wonderful to speak to each other during the day; it brings you closer to each other, and keeps your mind focused on him.

The above guidelines work best in a wholesome atmosphere with wholesome people. If your work involves repeated contact with unwholesome coworkers or clients, then for the sake of your marriage and your own spiritual purity, pack up and leave.

To paraphrase the priestly blessing, may Hashem give you the aura of our ancestral mothers–Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. G-d bless and success and a fantastic income, amen!